


isn't it ironic?

by sunset_oasis



Series: Innocent Before Yesterday [13]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Gen, Irony, description of destroying a Horcrux, includes a (probably surprising) element, mentioned past Regulus/Sybill, payback is an ironic twist of fate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-11-09 08:36:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11100894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunset_oasis/pseuds/sunset_oasis
Summary: Severus Snape and Sirius Black destroying a Horcrux together.





	isn't it ironic?

**Author's Note:**

> disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

 

When Severus Snape first heard of the term 'horcrux' as Sybill Trelawney rambled on during one of their late night drinks, he thought it was just some obscure divination term. The two of them had been randomly meeting up for drinks for quite a while, which, if he were to be honest, surprised himself quite a bit.

However, as Sybill continued on, mourning about her ex-boyfriend's death, and how it'd been exactly seventeen years ago today Regulus had died, Severus was suddenly alert. He remained calm on the surface, though, and only began frantically researching about the term after returning back to his office.

It took him a week to come to the conclusion that Regulus had likely died trying to destroy a horcrux of the Dark Lord.

 _Trying_ being the imperative word. As he was suspecting that Regulus hadn't succeeded.

 

* * *

 

When Severus arrived at Grimmauld 12, wanting to see if he could talk to Kreacher and get any more information from Regulus's long time elf, he encountered an obstacle that he inwardly considered as a bigger hindrance than all the research he'd had to do – Sirius Black.

"What do you want with Kreacher?" Black glared at him suspiciously, clearly unwilling to trust him.

"I just need to ask him a few questions," Severus replied coolly, not wanting to divulge such information to Black.

"Not if you tell me what it's about first," Black countered.

Things quickly (and expectedly) descended into a heated argument from there. After twenty minutes, Severus finally relented, because despite everything, getting rid of the Dark Lord was still more important than over twenty years of bitter resentment.

Surprisingly, Black knew of the word horcrux. Well, he wasn't sure what it was, but apparently there was a book in the Black Library that had the word in the title. He'd never read the book, but remembered seeing its cover once.

Sometimes Severus loathed how _Gryffindor_ Sirius Black was, but sometimes it was unnerving to be reminded of what family he came from.

Then they summoned Kreacher and discovered about the locket.

 

* * *

 

It took them another month researching and debating about which method of destroying the horcrux they wanted to use. Apparently, the Sword of Gryffindor, which hanged in Dumbledore's office, could technically do it. However, one thing they did agree upon was that they wanted to resolve everything before informing the Headmaster, if only because how the old man never wanted to give them all the information on everything himself, so the sword was really the last resort.

Fiendfyre was an option they'd considered, but they both knew the danger of it. The situation was finally settled when Severus managed to obtain some basilisk venom, though he refused to tell Black how he procured it.

 

* * *

 

"I'll do it," Black said, ever the Gryffindor.

"No," Severus said, unyielding, "I'll do it." He refused to let Black be the one to have the satisfaction of making the final stab when Severus had been the one that started this investigation in the first place. Perhaps it was a bit petty, and perhaps he would've told Black he's a coward if Black hadn't want to be the one to destroy it, but Severus didn't care.

Predictably, another argument ensued. Severus argued he was more qualified and mentally stable handling this. After all, he'd faced the Dark Lord and survived, he'd faced Dumbledore and the Headmaster's attempt in guilting him into doing all kinds of things, he'd faced schoolyard bullies (he sneered at Black as he said this), and he'd definitely faced disappointment and hate too many to count. (Black argued that _he_ 'd face Azkaban.)

Finally, though, Black very begrudgingly gave in.

Triumphantly, Severus took a small knife coated in the basilisk venom as Black opened the locket. He wasn't sure what nightmare would materialized in front of him, but he was pretty sure he could handle it. After all, he'd handled Lily's refusal of forgiveness at the age sixteen, he'd handled all kinds of unfairness, he'd handled murder attempt and hatred and suspicion and pretty much anything.

Feeling assured, he raised his hand, ready to stab, and then –

 _Neville Longbottom_ materialized in front of him – more sinister looking, more handsome looking than the teenage boy quivering in his class, and spoke, "Was it not enough that you took a prophecy that could've killed me to You-Know-Who, but you had to make potions class a living hell for me also?"

Severus froze.

Out of all things he'd considered that might appear to scare him after they'd read about the Horcrux's defense tactic, he'd never expected _this_. If he was his rational self at the moment, he'd quickly realized that all of this was _fake_ , since he knew that Longbottom didn't know about the prophecy.

But he was not his usual self, and even years of Occlumency training didn't seem to protect him against the turn of events – he'd always known what he was shielding against when he'd previously exercised Occlumency, but being taken by surprise like this completely made all the Occlumency practice seemed useless.

"What are you waiting for?" Black barked. "Stab it!"

"Or are you compensating for the fact that you failed to kill me?" Longbottom raised an eyebrow, cool and elegant and so unlike his usual self.

In the back Severus's mind, he remembered that he was Longbottom's boggart. This sort of thing was some kind of twisted, dark humor that he'd probably be amused if it were to happen on anyone else, but now –

"Stab it!" Black said sharply, but his voice sounded very far away. "You _said_ you could handle it."

"Apparently," Longbottom mused, his voice mocking, "since you're aiming to destroy me with that knife and the venom right now."

Severus's hand faltered.

"I'll probably never grow into my father, but apparently _you_ 've grown into yours –"

"Just fucking stab it!" Black's voice finally managed to pull him back into the reality and Severus stabbed the knife crushingly at the locket, and the Horcrux-Longbottom finally disappeared.

Black was probably about to make some sneering comment, but stopped at the sight of Severus's expression. Instead, he frowned and called out loudly, "Kreacher! Bring firewhiskey."

The following silence was awkward and tense, and Black asked, his tone careful, "What did you see?"

Severus closed his eyes, breathing heavily, and reigned in all his self-control and looked at Black coldly, "Nothing I couldn't handle."

**Author's Note:**

> find me on [tumblr](https://ff-sunset-oasis.tumblr.com)


End file.
